NYS Music 20​17

Author: Paula Cummings

  • And Then There Were Three: A Night on the Road with Periodic Table of Elephants

    “Ever want to experience what it’s like to travel with a band?” read the Periodic Table of Elephant’s Facebook post. “Experience travel in a gear-laden vehicle! Participate in the time-honored tradition of unloading! Eat gas station food!” The Rochester-based band had room to take a few people for their headlining show in Tonawanda on Thursday, December 28. It is likely the best ad I ever have or ever will respond to.

    I hitched a ride with bassist Greg Horton in his gear-laden station wagon, and we picked up a friend of his on the way to the gig. Cruising along I90, he filled me in on the origin story of the band, which is known as PToE for short. While Horton is the newest member of PToE, he’s not new to playing with the other members, Sean McGinnis Scanlon and Jason Pariseau. They were in a band together until Horton moved out of state three years ago. Before leaving, he suggested changing the name to Periodic Table of Elephants. Pariseau and Scanlon carried on as a duo in Horton’s absence, until he made a return to New York this fall.

    This was my first time at Stamps in Tonawanda. The bar is located in a stone building on Main Street. Inside, a long and inviting bar stretched back to a mid-sized room with a stage, some tables and seating, and a pool table. Pariseau and Scanlon arrived before us. After a warm welcome, I was introduced to their entourage of friends and loved ones.

    It was still early, so we threw back Coronas by the bucket while the guys held a pool tournament. Pariseau had picked out some epic rock anthems on the jukebox: Social Distortion “Story of My Life,” Queen’s “Somebody to Love” and Goldfinger’s cover of “99 Red Balloons.”

    Scanlon was wearing his Lil Bub t-shirt and told us all about meeting the phenomenal feline at a recent appearance at Black Sheep in Buffalo. Lil Bub is a miracle cat, having several rare conditions including dwarfism, extra toes, and the only cat diagnosed with osteoporosis. She’s become a poster child (er… rather poster cat) for disabled and homeless cats, and helps raise awareness and funds for charities. Sean is a cat-lover, and he and his wife share their home with several rescue cats. 

    The conversation turned to music, and we talked shop for a bit. PToE has been selected for again to play the Homegrown festival at Lovin’ Cup in Rochester. They’re one of seven bands on the bill for the day-long celebration of Rochester’s indie music, food, and beverages. The annual event is scheduled for January 20. They also talked about re-entering the studio to work on a follow-up to last year’s debut EP Henry.

    Attention was then directed to the stage, which is lined in vinyl records, as singer-songwriter Jordan Potter took to the mic. The solo performer from the Southern Tier played a handful of originals and finished with a cover of Oasis’s “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” Potter was followed by Buffalo-based progressive band Jon Rizzo & The Conference of The Strange. Imaginative art rock originals incorporating vocals, drum, bass, keyboard and mellotron were intermixed with a handful of holiday classics.

    Before starting to play, Horton, a proponent of hearing loss prevention, offered complimentary earplugs to members of the audience. It was a good idea to take him up on it, because these guys play loud. From the first note of the set to the last, PToE put the pedal to the metal and didn’t ease up. They started with their garage rock anthem “Kung Pao Chicken.” It begins with a simple guitar chord progression before Pariseau lets loose the guttural cry, “In America” signaling the onset of earth-shaking rhythms and grungy guitar riffs.

    While PToE was doable as a live duo, the addition of Horton to the band gives their performance extra oomph. Not only does he contribute to the added dimension of sound on bass, but also with his stage presence. There’s a dynamic energy between the trio and it’s fun to watch them go all out on stage together. Scanlon is easily one of my favorite drummers to watch play live. He goes at the drums with exuberant expression, and the waves of pure unadulterated joy he emanates are downright contagious.

    It was great to enjoy the show among the herd of Elephants fans, surrounded by the friends and family who’ve supported them for years. Playful banter between the stage and crowd erupted between songs. 

    PToE did a bunch of their most popular songs, and tried out a new one. “Lost” is full of crashing waves of sound, reminiscent of 90’s rock. In a fun twist, they also covered a song from their previous iteration as a band, a punk rock rager called “Lament.” They ended strong with the bar-brawl riot theme “Better Off Dead.”

    In the car on the way back home, we listened to some classic rock tunes (Talking Heads, The Kinks, David Bowie, and the like) and talked about shows we’ve been to and the ones we plan to hit up this year. Horton has seen an impressively long list of legendary artists, including Pink Floyd and The Grateful Dead. We arrived back in Rochester after midnight, thoroughly exhausted, but still riding that post-show adrenaline high.

    To keep up to date with events, follow Periodic Table of Elephants on Facebook. Read the NYS Music review of Henry. You’ll find their EP and their live album to stream on Spotify or purchase through Bandcamp.

    Setlist: Kung Pao Chicken, Head Trauma, Machines, Duck, Whatever, My Youth, Lost, CBT, Lament (Ack! cover), Better Off Dead

  • Hearing Aide: Noon Fifteen ‘Volume 1’

    Ithaca’s growing music scene includes prog soul project Noon Fifteen. This band of seasoned musicians have blended elements of 60’s rock and 70’s blues, creating catchy songs that make it impossible to sit still. The songs on their debut release, Volume 1, showcase powerhouse vocals, intriguing musical arrangements, and captivating story lines.

    The EP captures attention from the first track, “Knock Knock Knock.” Sassy chanteuse Mandy Goldman sings about the time her drunken neighbor was banging on her door in the middle of the night. The story takes a surprising twist as she waits for an apology, and hopes that it would come in the form of an Olive Garden gift card. Goldman’s powerhouse vocals are backed by funky rhythms, starring Harry Nichols on bass and Chris Armitage on drums. The songs have a timeless quality, achieved in part through the use of vintage instruments, with Joe Massa on guitar and Sam Lupowitz on keyboard. Saxophones punctuate the melody, adding yet another layer of dimension to this plucky little number.

    A couple other songs on Volume 1 incorporate horns (trumpet and sax), as well as a string section featuring violins and cellos. One of them is “Dave Coulier.” This tale of passion and revenge features a character who realizes that she is only loved when she is needed. “I will be the girl to fix it for you,” later becomes the bitter line “I won’t be the girl to fix it for you.” The instrumentation also reflects the change. It starts as a jangly and upbeat love song, with some hand claps thrown in for good measure. It becomes progressively darker as the narrator becomes more embittered, and picks up as she exacts vengeance. Each chapter is separated by a dramatic musical interlude. The song was originally titled “You Oughtta Know,” but Alanis Morissette already used that title for one of her songs.

    “Her (Morisette’s) song is about Dave Coulier, the actor who played Uncle Joey on Full House,” Nichols told NYS Music. “So, in a moment of randomness equal to that of the song’s overall composition, we called the song Dave Coulier.”

    Overall, the EP is a jam, with infectious grooves, skillful arrangements, and rich vocals. As the title Volume 1 suggests, this is just the beginning for this group. Just don’t let the name throw you: it’s always a good time to listen to Noon Fifteen.

    Volume 1 is available on Bandcamp and Spotify. They’ve also released behind-the-scenes music videos and a Noon Fifteen podcast with episodes about each song.

    Key Tracks: Knock Knock Knock, Dave Coulier

  • NYC Venues Collaborate with Live Nation to Create New Booking & Promotions Company

    This week, the owner of Bowery Ballroom and Live Nation Entertainment announced the creation of a new booking and promotions venture called Mercury East Presents. The strategic move will allow for pooling of resources. The partnership aims to improve the delivery of high-quality entertainment to music lovers in NYC.

    This venture brings clubs and theaters owned by Swier and Live Nation together under one marketing umbrella, including Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom, Irving Plaza, Gramercy Theatre, Warsaw and Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk. Mercury East Presents plans to continue to expand the network over time and capitalize on partnerships which strengthen the city’s live entertainment industry.

    The foundation of Mercury East reaffirms our commitment to quality and streamlines production by officially uniting the venues we own and operate with our key partners,” says Michael Swier, co-founder of Mercury East, the Bowery Ballroom, the Mercury Lounge, and other venues. “The team behind Mercury East remains focused on cultivating bands throughout all stages of their success, as well ensuring audiences have a premium experience, from ticket purchase to show’s end.”

    Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge have long been cornerstones of the New York music scene. They’ve attracted the best in local, national and international talent to perform for intimate audiences at their historic locales.

    Swier and his team are the total package, delivering industry expertise, relationships, and landmark venues that
    complement the greater Live Nation portfolio,” said Michael Rapino, President and CEO, Live Nation Entertainment.
    “Mercury East is the ideal partnership, and will allow Live Nation to bring New York’s residents and visitors more
    music and events than ever before.”

    Visit the Mercury East Presents website for upcoming events at all five venues. Follow on the newly created Mercury East Presents social media sites for updates: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

  • Hearing Aide: Tart Vandelay ‘Flow’

    In nature, flow is associated with movement, like water rippling down a current. In psychology, finding flow is associated with engaging in an activity which brings on a feeling of being energized, focused, fully aware and conscious. Rochester indie pop artists Tart Vandelay have linked these concepts in their new release, aptly entitled Flow.

    tart vandelay flowThe jazzy four-track-long collection paints a landscape filled with images of whipping whirlpool winds, relentlessly echoing rays of sunshine, midnight moonlight, and misty rain clouds. The elements of the cosmos become metaphors for emotional states, as a story unfolds about facing fear and uncertainty. Tart Vandelay isn’t just stopping to smell the roses; they’re making a mindful exploration into the cyclical rhythms in the universe and tendency for tumult to succumb to order. Songstress Katie Halligan draws from her own experiences when writing, however her words strike a chord deep within. She taps into her uncanny ability to connect what’s personal to what’s common to the human experience. “Sun, melt away by fright, tell me it’s alright,” she pleads in the song “Cloudy Doubts.”

    Book ended with birdsong, the instrumentation on the album mirrors the sentiment of the songs and compliments Halligan’s crisp, sparkling vocals. Marty LoFaso’s jazzy guitar work serves as a vibrant accompaniment. The bass line provided by Pete Zamniak and percussive stylings of Christopher Dubuc-Penney intersect to form in an undulating groove that adds dimension to the soundscape. The music demonstrates restraint during the apprehensive disquietude of the first two songs “High Noon Haze” and “Lonely Girl.” Then it swells during “Cloudy Doubts,” before reaching a magnificent crest in “Drifting.”

    As the sequel to last year’s debut EP Frontier Pioneer, Flow offers further proof of Tart Vandelay and their endearing ability to uplift and inspire through music. Recorded at Wicked Squid Studios in Rochester, and produced by Josh Pettinger, Flow is available on Bandcamp. You can follow Tart Vandelay on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

    Key tracks: High Noon Haze, Cloudy Doubts

    https://soundcloud.com/tartvandelay/sets/janus?si=5c79b8de02a34701b7369c0c7641603e

  • Cait Devin Returns to Funk n Waffles

    Cait Devin will once again grace the stage of Funk ‘n Waffles Downtown on Friday, Dec. 8 from 6-8 p.m. The 16-year-old singer/songwriter from Westmoreland got her start at open mikes, like the one at Funk ‘n Waffles. Now she’s playing shows throughout the Central New York region, performing a mix of indie pop originals and classic rock covers. You can also catch Cait solo on Dec. 9 at the Villa Verona Vineyard and Bistro in Verona and with her band Triple Threat at Copper City Brewing Company in Rome on Dec. 28.

    She is currently working on her first EP of original material, recording at Big Blue North Recording Studio in Utica. Follow Cait on Facebook for updates.

  • Interview: Get to Know Folk Rock Quartet Dave DiPrimo Band and Hear New Album ‘Reflections’

    Dave DiPrimo Band has just released Reflections, their sophomore full-length album. NYS Music met up with members of the folk rock quartet at Java’s Cafe, where just two months ago they played to a packed house during the Rochester Fringe Festival. Their saxophonist was unable to attend, but Michael Slattery, the photographer who did the artwork for the album cover, was available for the interview.

    Dave DiPrimo Band at Java’s Cafe during the 2017 Rochester Fringe Festival        Photo: Joseph DiPrimo

    Paula Cummings: Dave, you started as a singer/songwriter. What made you want to start a band?

    Dave DiPrimo: Being a singer/songwriter, there’s only so much you can do. Your songs come to fruition, but they never turn out the way you expect them to. They’re kind of empty. It was also kinda lonely, always doing one thing, just you on stage. There’s no one to turn around and make faces at when you say stupid stuff. No drummer to make fun of you or tell you to stop blabbering when you’re talking too long. Playing with a full band makes the songs sound better and fuller – their musicianship and the instrumentation they provide. It’s more fun to play with people, especially good people. And these guys, you know, they’re okay. (Laughter)

    PC: Who are the other members of the band, and what do you play?

    Reid Hoffmeier: I’m Reid and I drum for the Dave DiPrimo Band.

    Ian Benz: My name is Ian and I play bass. Me and Dave went to Boy Scouts 6 years ago. That’s where we met. Six months later, I started playing in Ivy’s Panic Room. He knew that I’ve been playing bass for a while. He contacted me. And this has been working out pretty well.

    DD: Karis Gregory plays saxophone and lead guitar on some songs. I go to Nazareth College with him. In previous iterations of this band, he filled in for certain shows. When the band was changing, I brought him on full time.

    PC: That leads to my next question. You’re all in college. How do you balance the demands of being students and musicians?

    DD: Very carefully! We try to practice as much as we’re available. This has been a busy time of year. We haven’t been playing too many shows, as we’ve been finishing the album. It can be a lot to try to organize practice and shows with school, but we’ve been doing okay so far. We haven’t had any VH1 Behind The Music meltdown moments.

    RH: This is one of the few things I do for fun outside of college and work, so whenever we have something that pops up, I just cut everything else and make this a priority. It’s hard juggling three jobs essentially, but having a job you care about and is entertaining to do, with a bunch of friends, you make it number one.

    IB: It’s not that bad. Weekends usually work out, and there’s only a couple weekends left in the semester. I’m cramming it in, but it’s totally worth it.

    PC: You were featured on the Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight, where you had the distinction of being the youngest artist on the series. What was that like?

    DD: It was pretty cool. It was an interesting experience to have the cameras there. Dan Gross, the host, is A) a talented professional and B) just a really great guy, so we were happy to be on the show with him. That was before we had Ian with us. We got Ian two months after that. It was a cool jumping point to have our first show together as a taped session. We also did a little recording at WITR, too. We did a live EP with them. Those kinds of sessions, where it’s not just a show but there’s something permanent left over, that’s cool. We signed the (WITR) wall near Joywave and a lot of bands who have done stuff there. We took up an obnoxious amount of space.

    RH: Dead center above the door, so walking in and out you always see it.

    WITR Studio        Photo: Bailey Gribben

    PC: Tell me about the album. What is the overall theme?

    DD: I feel like every time I write an album, it starts as a story with a start and finish. And I feel like by the time it’s done and in the right order, it’s not anymore. It’s kind of little vignettes. It’s called Reflections. Everything I wrote is not about things currently going on in my life, for the most part. They’re all sort of nostalgia and looking back. For example, on the last track on the album, “Glory Days,” there’s a line referencing this past New Year’s Eve when we had a fun time at one of our live shows. There’s a joke that’s made about that evening.

    PC: You guys are young, but have this old soul vibe going on.

    RH: We’re just more mature than everyone else!

    DD: We’re old and cool and wise… Our music has so many influences. As a songwriter, I’m inspired by soul, alternative, punk and rock, and some emo stuff. All these different genres look back and reflect on the past. I feel like there are not too many folk songs looking towards a bright future. It’s all dwelling on stuff.

    PC: When and where was it recorded?

    RH: I don’t remember the date. It was over the summer, but we did it in one day. It was exhausting. I didn’t get home until midnight.

    DD: It was at The Green Room in Ontario. Matt Ramerman, our engineer, is the owner of The Green Room. We did the session there. A month or two later, I went back. He had moved his studio from Ontario to Rochester. I went back and added some keys and worked on mixing some more.

    PC: How did this recording experience differ from the first album?

    DD: Even as we were listening to the rough mix in the studio for Reflections, it just felt like it was going to be a more satisfying product.

    RH: We put a lot of effort and hours into it. Not just in the studio, in the weeks leading up to the recording: the practice, the ideas back and forth. We had already played these songs a number of times, but we just kept nitpicking – “I want to change this, let’s run it through.” We listened to it for the first time a couple weeks ago. It was a lot of fun.

    DD: Ian, Reid and Karis put so much effort into the album, and into practice – making sure they were on and ready. I think at most we only needed three or four takes.

    PC: I like the album artwork.

    Michael Slattery: One day, I got out of work and I saw these clouds from a distance. I went home and got my camera; I went chasing the clouds. I took a nice picture and that’s the picture that’s on the back of the CD. And as I was driving home, I looked into my side mirror. I saw the cloud again and I thought it would be cool to take a picture of the cloud back through the mirror.

    DD: I love Mike’s photos. I think it fits the mood really well. And I really like my brother Joe’s photo on the inside of the four silhouettes.

    Reflections was released on November 25. It’s available to stream on their website and Spotify, and purchase on CD Baby,  iTunes and Google Play. Follow Dave DiPrimo Band on Facebook and Twitter for upcoming performances and news.

  • Hearing Aide: Vendetta ‘Press Play [and Live]’

    Brooklyn-based alternative hip hop artist Vendetta has released his debut album Press Play [and Live]. After cutting his teeth in the music industry as the front man for Hollywood Drive-By, Vendetta is striking out on his own with this solo project.

    Armed with a microphone, a laptop, and a deep-seated love for rhythm, Vendetta (aka Vijay Ramcharitar) weaves together stylistically divergent influences. Funky rhythms and rocking riffs pave a foundation for his raps. As the moniker Vendetta implies, his lyrical themes are rife with conflict. Urban survival vs. escapism. Violence vs. humanitarianism. Dive bars vs. block parties.

    Lead track “The Getaway (Vendetta Day)” is a groovy number about getting away from the stress of city life for a cruise along the East Coast. The song melds together an array of influences, from old-school hip hop artists like Tupac to alternative rock in the vein of Red Hot Chili Peppers. “Two Things” further explores the impact that music has to uplift spirits in the face of adversity. The chorus goes “Two things I remembered: the CD that I picked / And the feeling I got when I pressed play and lived.” The feel-good summer jam “BBQ Sauce” features the vocal styling of friend and fellow musician Rocksteady (Jason Hernandez).

    Press Play [and Live] was recorded at Westfall Recording Company, Farmingdale NY, with production and engineering by Nick “Karate” Gallick.

    Key Tracks: The Getaway (Vendetta Day), Two Things, BBQ Sauce.

  • Previous Love Releases Music Video “Caffeine”

    Buffalo-based band Previous Love has debuted their first music video, for their song “Caffeine.” The catchy alt rock tune is from their self-titled EP, which was recorded and released over the summer. The  video montage documents their coffee-fueled recording sessions.

    “We wanted to really take our fans into the studio with us but still capture the emotion of the song,” bassist Steven Browne told NYS Music. “We get asked a lot what it’s like being in the studio for the first time as a  young band. I believe this really captures our experience while still staying true to the intent of the song.”

    The video features band members Steven Browne (bass), Charles Campanella (guitar),  John Perdue (drums) and Gary Sheedy (vocals and guitar) working alongside producer Jay Zubricky. Filmed in and around GCR Audio, it includes shots of them traveling to the studio, recording, and hanging out. Visual effects such as cross-dissolves, slow motion, time lapse, reverse footage create a surreal effect that suits the “Caffeine” theme.

    “It’s exciting being in the studio, capturing those moments that make a record special,” said Browne. “At the end of the video it actually is the footage from the moment we captured the ending to ‘Caffeine.’”

    Follow Previous Love on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Their debut self-titled EP Previous Love is available for purchase on Bandcamp (name your price) and streaming on Spotify. For more about the EP, read the NYS Music review.

  • Dave DiPrimo Band’s Latest Single “Know You Best”

    Rochester alternative folk group Dave DiPrimo Band has released their latest single, “Know You Best.” The song comes from their forthcoming sophomore album Reflections, which is set to release on Saturday, November 25.

    “Know You Best” is the first track on the new full-length LP. In this intensely emotional tale of longing for connection, pleading lyrics give way to bellowing vocals in the chorus. The song establishes the nostalgic tone that pervades the entire album.

    Dave DiPrimo Band is: Dave DiPrimo on vocals/guitar/keys, Reid Hoffmeier on drums, Ian Benz on bass, and Karis Gregory on saxophone (and sometimes guitar). While based in the folk tradition, DDB weaves in influences from genres as far flung as soul and punk to create a sound that’s both timeless and contemporary.

    https://soundcloud.com/nysmusic/know-you-best

  • Interview: Kyle Waldron on Creating Barbarosa’s ‘Loud and Pretty’ Sound

    There is no greater joy in life than discovering music that resonates with the soul, sending spirits soaring into heights of ecstasy. I recently found myself captivated by a performance by Barbarosa. The self-described “loud and pretty” Rochester band combines both male and female vocals over intricately arranged instrumentation. The overall effect is like being guided through a labyrinth in the dewy haze of dawn. I met up with the band’s founder, Kyle Waldron, to discover more about the origin and evolution of this captivating band.

    Paula Cummings: What sparked your interest in music?

    Kyle Waldron: I’ve always liked music a lot. My dad was a bass player back in the 70’s. He had a lot of instruments. I learned to play bass, I learned to play guitar. I got super into it. It feels like something I was supposed to do. And I used to go to church. That’s how I learned to play in band, in the church. After a while, it was like ‘I want to start my own band.’ I started Barbarosa while I was in college. I’ve always been obsessed with it. There’s nothing in life I’ve ever felt so strongly about.

    PC: Why the name Barbarosa?

    KW: We were looking for a name for the band and my bass player in college came up with the name Barbarossa. It means red beard. I took out the extra “s” because of copyright with a band in the UK. I’m really into history – I was a history major in college. It’s got historical significance. Barbarossa was an emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and the name of the Nazi invasion in Russia in WWII. It comes back to my interests and what I look like.

    PC: So you and Hannah Gouldrick take turns on vocals on the songs?

    KW: Hannah has been helpful with writing vocals. That’s not really my strong suit. I like to come up with songs and guitar parts. Lately it’s been fun. We’ve actually started taking vocal lessons with a coach. So now I feel like “Oh, I can do this harmony.” I just couldn’t do that before. Now I like it a lot.

    PC: What is your songwriting process?

    KW: Almost always it will start with an idea I came up with on guitar and then I’ll record it. I’ll have someone make drums for the song. And then I’ll go back and flesh it out with bass and vocals. Usually vocals come last. I’ve started changing that. I realized some of the best songs have integrated vocal and instrumental parts. I used to be into post-rock instrumental. Lately I’ve been trying to write vocals, simple songs with chords and then add everything else. I’ve experimented a lot with how I write songs. I strive for not just doing things the same way.

    PC: Do you think the changes in the songwriting process have been the result of taking vocal lessons?

    KW: I feel like for a lot of musicians, you have a preconceived notion of how you think people write songs. Then you go through it and do it for a while. Then you’re like “Oh, I think there’s a bunch of ways that people do this.” It changes how you think. The more you do it, the more the process shifts. I realized that if I do the vocals first, it would make them more prominent in the song. I think that’s what most people identify with is vocals. I’ve tried hard at improving. Like I said, it was always an afterthought. It’s still a work in progress.

    PC: And it’s probably changed as the dynamics of the band has changed.

    KW: That’s another major change is getting away from guitar music and into synth – keyboards. I was really into guitar amps for a while but now with the synth… I’m really into gear, so it’s a whole new world to explore. That’s changed a lot too because my friend Nick Maynard did the first two songs on the new EP and he’s a master at that stuff. He has cool synth stuff, vintage gear, and he knows what he’s doing. That helped me out a lot. Nick’s not into doing the live stuff. He loves writing music. He was instrumental in helping me learn that stuff. My roommate also plays keys. Dave Heeks is really into that stuff. He’s going to probably end up being our keyboard player. We’ll be adding keys on more songs. It’s cool because there’s progress. I’ve had three different people work on drums. Matt Battle (of Oh Manitou) was the original drummer. He was on the first song I recorded, “Colorblind.” Then I did another song with him. Then Frank Dicesare, who’s more into hip-hop, which was kind of cool. He plays groovy, and adds stuff you wouldn’t normally hear in indie rock. And then Greg Best. He’s done all the live shows with us. He did the last two songs we put out. Greg is amazing. He went to Nazareth for performance and studied under a famous jazz drummer. He comes up with things in no time at all.

    Barbarosa at Wicked Squid Studios

    PC: I saw you last month, and you did a cover of a No Doubt song, which was different.

    KW: That was Hannah’s idea. We kind of changed it around so it sounded more like Barbarosa. It came together. That’s one of Hannah’s biggest influences in music and she was happy to be able to do that song. Now it’s in our repertoire. Now that we’ve done that, I can see where Hannah gets a lot of her melodies from.

    PC: What was the first concert you went to?

    KW: It was at Madison Square Garden. It was a Christian music festival. TobyMac and Jars of Clay. That was 5th grade. I didn’t know what was going on. It ended up being “Woah!” It was loud, and you get the adrenalin for the first time. I got into more shows in high school. I saw Balance and Composure in Philadelphia. It woke me up to crowd involvement. And punk shows where people were going nuts and piling onto each other, moshing and stuff like that. That set up my whole idea of playing music. It was a community thing. It was so cool to see so many people in one area connecting. I didn’t know that was possible at that point. That it can make them happy or make them sad. That’s when I realized I want to do this. I want to start a band.

    PC: Where do you get inspiration?

    KW: There’s a podcast called Song Exploder. They interview artists and go through their songwriting process. It changed my songwriting process. For one of the songs on the EP, I was reading. I was on a history binge. I was going through a bunch of books about the WWII era. I was reading about the Nazis and how they were on drugs. But it was legal. They had these crazy pharmacies in Germany. Nobody knew what heroin was yet. They were just like, “I take this drug and work all night.” It was basically heroin. It probably helped spur WWII. Hitler was an opiate addict, and I’m sure a lot of the terrible decisions he made had to do with that. The drug was called Pervetin. It was the miracle drug of their day. I took a bunch of quotes from that book, mixed them all up, and picked lines that sounded the best. Then we picked the melodies and crafted the song. And it sounded awesome. It was a lot of fun. I got the idea from the Rivers Cuomo episode on Song Exploder. I never would have thought to do that.

    PC: Music is meant to be fun, right?

    KW: It got me out of my rut of songwriting. I was like “I’ve got to sit down and write some lyrics.” Some of it you can’t force. When it comes to art, you have to let it burst out of you. If I’m sitting there having fun and trying new stuff, it comes out. I try to do that more often. (At the EP Release show) I’ll be playing in Brotherless, too. For Brotherless, we’re going to be covering a Nirvana song. We’re playing this song and it’s so fun. I get to slam power chords and sing harmonies. It’s so much more carefree. I’ve also been pushing a lot of my music in that direction. I’ve learned to simplify because you realize that no one is going to notice. If you can write a simple song that is entertaining that’s so much more important than being able to write a ten minute song full of guitar solos and technicality. I’ve really toned down the riffage and time signatures. I still want it to be creative, but like a mix or creative but also easy to understand and accessible. Like the first song on the EP is not in 4/4, it’s in 7/8. That’s what I want to do is find ways to impress musicians but also at the same time doing it in a way that people who don’t know these things will understand. If you reel yourself in, then you’re a little more within your capabilities, everything’s a little tighter. People underestimate how important the basics are.

    Barbarosa is available on Bandcamp. Physical copies on CD will be on sale at the EP Release Show on November 25 at The Bug Jar in Rochester and at their show on December 7 at Bushwick Party House in Brooklyn.